The Samajwadi Party seems to be in for a major setback as speculations are rife over its alliance partner Rashtriya Lok Dal( RLD) led by Jayant Choudhury joining hands with National Democratic Alliance ( NDA).
During the crucial Rajya Sabha voting recently, Jayant Choudhury was conspicuous by his absence. He abstained from the House when the Delhi services Bill was passed. On Thursday morning, eight MLAs of his party met Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath at his residence, sending out a clear signal about the party’s intention.
This is the first time the RLD MLAs met the CM together triggering a controversy.
In the absence of Jayant in the Rajya Sabha, it was reported that he was with his ailing wife. But on the other hand, it was said that Jayant is in touch with the BJP high command. However, the meeting of eight out of the nine party MLAs with the UP CM validated the speculation.
However, the MLAs said that they had met the CM on issues such as compensation for the damage caused by floods in the state, payment of arrears of sugarcane price, increase in the price of sugarcane, and free electricity to farmers. Ghulam Mohammad is the lone RLD MLA who didn’t join his party colleagues to meet the CM.
Seeking to put the speculations to rest, RLD national spokesperson Anil Dubey clarified to the media that the legislators just wanted to take up their demands with the CM and nothing else.
“Jayant Choudhury is with INDIA and will be attending their next meeting in Mumbai. BJP was trying to create confusion,” he said.
Meanwhile, state Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya too maintained that the MLAs have the right to meet the CM, but refused to say anything about the speculations about the RLD joining the NDA.